Presidency has refuted claims that President Muhammadu Buhari, during his visit to the United States, accused the country of frustrating the efforts Nigerian Armed forces on rooting out insurgency by holding the application of the Leahy Law on Nigeria.
It will recalled that President Buhari, while delivering a speech at the United States Institute for Peace, USIP, had stated that “In our efforts at combating the activities of Boko Haram, the new Government has sought and obtained the support of not only our neighbours, but also other international friends and partners. Regrettably, the blanket application of the Leahy Law by the United States on the grounds of unproven allegations of human rights violations levelled against our forces has denied us access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the insurgents.
“Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the Leahy Law amendment by the U. S. Government has aided and abated the Boko Haram terrorist group in the prosecution of its extremist ideology and hate, the indiscriminate killings and maiming of civilians, raping of women and girls, and in their other heinous crimes. I believe this is not the spirit of the Leahy Laws”.
But the president however stated that “ I know the American people cannot support any group engaged in these crimes.”
A statement from the State House, Abuja signed by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina on Friday stated that President Buhari’s speech at the United States Institute for Peace, USIP, was misconstrued or misinterpreted.
The statement further stated that the presidential speech should be seen as a passionate appeal to the government of the United States to soften pedal on the law to enable Nigeria intensify action and win the war against Boko Haram
US President Barack Obama speaks with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, July 20, 2015. Obama welcomes Nigeria’s freshly elected president after the country’s first ever democratic transition. AFP
“Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the Leahy Law amendment by the U. S. Government has aided and abated the Boko Haram terrorist group in the prosecution of its extremist ideology and hate, the indiscriminate killings and maiming of civilians, raping of women and girls, and in their other heinous crimes. I believe this is not the spirit of the Leahy Laws”.
But the president however stated that “ I know the American people cannot support any group engaged in these crimes.”
A statement from the State House, Abuja signed by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina on Friday stated that President Buhari’s speech at the United States Institute for Peace, USIP, was misconstrued or misinterpreted.
The statement further stated that the presidential speech should be seen as a passionate appeal to the government of the United States to soften pedal on the law to enable Nigeria intensify action and win the war against Boko Haram
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